MARMARIK RESERVOIR RESTORATION LEFT INCOMPLETE DUE TO DOLLAR DEPRECIATION

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ly 4

On July 2, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian visited Marmarik reservoir
in the RA Kotayk region, which has not been used from the moment of
its construction, after 1974, as its stronghold slided down a few days
before filling the water into the reservoir. The stronghold top that
had 350 meters length slided down to 13.5 meters. And approximately
500 thousand cubic meters earth mass moved. Stronghold repairs started
from 2006.

Andranik Andreasian, the Chairman of the Water Economy State Committee
of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration, told the Prime
Miniser that at present Marmarik reservoir poses certain danger
for people living below it. According to A. Andreasian, it was one
of the main reasons, the reservoir restoration was involved in the
World Bank (WB) Stronghold Security Program, within the framework
of which reservoir’s stronghold was to be restored. The projecting
finished in 2005. The construction contract was signed on August 31,
2006 and according to the program, the construction is envisaged to
be finished within 24 months, in 2008, but it has been left incomplete
due to the lack of funds as a result of dollar depreciation.

According to Andreasian, at that time the construction contract cost
was 4bn 568m 779 thousand drams, that is, 11.521.609 dollars. The
allocated funds have been spent, but a new calculation is needed to
finish the rest work.